Cactus Statesman

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Jim in Oakville

Jim in Oakville

Member
Joined
Aug 9, 2004
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2,195
Location
Oakville, Ontario, Canada.
Hi,

I am finally getting around to posting a Statesman I made with one of Curtis’s cactus blanks.

This one was clear and I painted the tube and the drilled hole with Testors Boot Black acrylic, two coats. I used epoxy to glue in the tubes.

IMG_8158.jpg


The blank turned very nicely and the surface has a slight textured feel in places where the cactus is near the surface.


IMG_8167.jpg



I finished the blank using MM and plastic polish.


Curtis, these blanks are very nice as you know, I have a small inventory I am working on right now......hopefully in time for some spring sales.

Comments and critiques as always are welcomed.
 
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Now you've done it. You've made me get up and prep one of my cactus blanks for turning. I noticed the same thing about the slight textured feeling with the cactus being near the surface so I sprayed several coats of Deft laquer for my finish to get that smoother feeling. You did a great job on it.

Lance
 
Originally posted by LanceD
<br />Now you've done it. You've made me get up and prep one of my cactus blanks for turning. I noticed the same thing about the slight textured feeling with the cactus being near the surface so I sprayed several coats of Deft laquer for my finish to get that smoother feeling. You did a great job on it.

Lance
Click to expand...

Thanks for the tip Lance. Your work and advice have been a help to me in the past, I appreciate that you have shared your ideas with us here.

I might try that on the next one, but I kind of like the Organic feel..[:0]

I did not get a High Gloss polish with this resin, is that normal?
[?]
 
I did not get a High Gloss polish with this resin, is that normal?
[?]
[/quote]

In my experience it is. The Deft laquer gave it a much better gloss than just polishing and buffing. After I finished my red cactus pen and polished it with novus 1 and 2 It didn't polish up to a high gloss like polyester resin, so that's when I decided to take it apart and use laquer as a finish. I let it cure for a few days then came back with Novus. It then came out as glossy as any other acrylic.
 
Jim,

Do you use a Beal buffing system for your pens? I am able to get more gloss than what your pic apears to have without using any finish. Granted, the gloss will not be as high as a CA finish with just the Alumilite though. I wet sand through 600 grit paper and then go to MM through 4,000. I then stop and go to plastic polish at the highest lathe speed I have. I really work it in and polish with a cloth rag. It then comes off the lathe and I go over it with the Beal buffing system starting with the white wheel and real light passes. It gets pretty close to a CA finish this way.

Of course if you really want the shine and also don't want to feel the cactus skeletone you can always use a CA finish.
 
Originally posted by MesquiteMan
<br />Jim,

Do you use a Beal buffing system for your pens? I am able to get more gloss than what your pic apears to have without using any finish. Granted, the gloss will not be as high as a CA finish with just the Alumilite though. I wet sand through 600 grit paper and then go to MM through 4,000. I then stop and go to plastic polish at the highest lathe speed I have. I really work it in and polish with a cloth rag. It then comes off the lathe and I go over it with the Beal buffing system starting with the white wheel and real light passes. It gets pretty close to a CA finish this way.

Of course if you really want the shine and also don't want to feel the cactus skeletone you can always use a CA finish.
Click to expand...

Hi Curtis,

I love the organic feel of the cactus, so a CA would not be my choice. Actualy I did finish with Abralon (500-4000) then MM (6000-12,000) and then Novus. Perhaps my MM is getting a bit old, I am totally happy with this pen, so I might try some new MM on the next one I turn.[:)]

Thanks for your help, I appreciate that you posted...[:)]
 
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